What’s IT Going to Cost Me? Local IT Support Pricing Considerations for Dental Practices
Technology advancements and our reliance on the internet makes it more difficult for Bay Area dental offices to work out what’s needed to run their practices efficiently. Whether you prefer Linux or are a Windows aficionado, you will need local IT support capable of helping a practice gain the maximum benefit from their IT infrastructure.
The most common question Veltec Networks partners get asked is about the cost of managed support services. Price being a significant concern for dental practices is understandable considering the competitive market place in San Francisco and the Bay Area.
Our goal with this guide is to give you some insight into the services you could end up paying for based on your technology needs, and the questions you should ask before making a final purchasing decision.
A Common Scenario
We always follow up on the inquiries received through the contact form on our website. One question we got recently was from a medium-sized dental practice in San Jose. The visitor asked about having an evaluation of his main computer and peripherals.
Their current set-up consisted of two computers running Windows 7. One question that came up twice in their inquiry was how much the upgrade and ongoing maintenance would cost.
On the surface, we have a seemingly basic upgrade and maintenance request for one user. The thing that jumps out is that the visitor is still running Windows 7. Their inquiry also mentioned having another full-time and two other part-time employees in the office. Here are some of the questions we ask during our follow-up in this type of scenario:
- What kind of hardware is connected to the computer?
- Would they be interested in installing a Linux operating system?
- Is proprietary software being used?
- How many separate business systems are currently running?
- What is the current security set-up?
- What is the state of the other hardware and software within the company?
- Are they open to upgrades for the other employees?
- Would it be more cost-efficient for the practice in the long run to replace the computer hardware?
As you can see, there can end up being a lot of takeaways from even the most straightforward request. Our questions are designed to explore what the user actually needs, which isn’t always included in the initial query. We prepare them to consider other possibilities that will give them the architecture that will serve them well as they grow and expand.
Thorough Evaluation
We need to find out how the user prefers the delivery of their service. Do they want someone on-premise, or are they comfortable with a remote option? On-site can increase a customer’s comfort level by having a technician come out and evaluate your entire set-up in person.
For now, the visitor has asked for an upgrade and maintenance for two computers. They also revealed that there are other employees in the company that might also require some updates to their workstations.
Security
Dental offices are responsible for maintaining a lot of personal information on their patients. The reason we ask about the security set-up is due to the steep penalties levied against health providers who expose HIPAA data due to a lack of protection. Networks should be checked regularly for any potential openings for breaches to occur.
Productivity
Many dental practices think they’re happy with their current software until we explain what they could gain from an upgraded version of what they are using. We would ask about the visitor’s existing CRM or if they even have one in place. Many dental offices have no idea about the innovative products on the market that could benefit a growing practice.
We might suggest moving from Windows 7 to Windows 10 to reduce the boot time for their computers. We would also broach the subject of possibly moving the office to a Linux OS. Veltec providers have a lot of experience adapting Linux to suit the needs of businesses.
Pricing Considerations
Our representative will go over all available pricing models based on the services you’ve chosen. Single-user requests usually come with an initial fee for an initial visit to upgrade your OS system and confirm your peripherals are running correctly. After that, we would charge a monthly fee that covers your hardware, software, and peripherals.
Keeping Your Needs in Mind
We make recommendations based on what your practice requires. Veltec can provide you with a plan that accommodates all the small details might not have come to mind when making an initial request. What about protecting HIPAA data? Is there a better CRM solution for your practice that would make managing patient contacts easier?
It is vital to get a potential client’s to think about issues like securing their network and preventing downtime that could keep them from helping their patients. Taking care of all the moving parts involved in an IT infrastructure is why we have our proactive managed services tier. It covers all IT needs for a dental practice, from upgrades to server management.
Consistent Quality Support
Veltec Networks wants to be clear about one thing. Clients who use our specialists will always receive professional and respectful treatment from our staff and technicians. Our team has provided local IT support for San Francisco dental practices and other Bay Area businesses since 2007.
We find success by looking beyond the immediate and helping you find customized solutions that align with the unique culture of your dental office. Contact us today at (408) 849-4441 for a consultation on your dental practice’s IT needs.
